A Time To Heal
by K.R. Winston
Summary: They're society's biggest names. She loved him, he loved her back. He left, breaking her heart as he went. Two years later he's back and still in love, but she's broken...trory
1. Tied Together With A Smile

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I'm still working on BOF if you're reading it, so don't worry it will eventually be updated, but I had an idea for this story and I couldn't resist writing it. Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. (obviously)

Chapter One: Tied Together With A Smile

He sat on the airplane, first class, best seat. His mother would have it no other way. He leaned back into the seat and ran his hand through his hair. He was about a half hour away from Hartford now, he guessed, checking the time on his watch.

He was sure that the minute he stepped out of the airport there would be photographer after photographer snapping pictures of him. He expected it, he was ready for it. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Two years. Two years away from it all, he was sure the rumors were flooding Hartford about him. In all honesty he still wasn't able to figure out why they all cared so much. He wasn't an actor, or a singer, or some big movie producer. He was the twenty two year old son of a lawyer.

Granted, his father probably had more money than God. But he still didn't seem to understand why the fact that his family had money drew everyone's attention to him. He'd dealt with it his entire life. The cameras and the stories and his reputation and his family name. But back then, he had something to make it better. Now, he was walking back into the fire and this time she wouldn't be there to hold his hand.

He stepped off the plane and grabbed his bag. He traveled light, one bag usually fit everything he could of thought to bring with him. He stood against the wall, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He ran a hand through his hair again and let his tongue run out over his lips, wishing that he could still taste that last cigarette.

When he was about to just throw caution to the wind and light one up, he was interrupted by his name, called loudly. He looked up and met the eyes of the caller, a smile spreading onto his face.

She laughed and ran over to him, launching herself into his arms and wrapping hers around his neck, holding onto him tight. "Hey Taylor," he chuckled, spinning her around in his arms before setting her firmly onto the ground.

"I missed you, Tristan," she said, stepping back and then hugging him tightly again. He laughed, nodding his agreement.

"I missed you too, squirt," he said, pulling out of her hug and slinging his arm across her shoulders. "How've you been?" he asked as they walked toward the doors.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "Good," she said. "School's boring as hell and all I ever hear from all the teachers is what a pain in the ass you were."

Tristan smirked and shrugged. "I did have my moments," he said and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we all know about your moments, Tris," she scoffed, shaking her head at him.

He looked over to her as the automatic doors to the outside opened. "You ready?" he asked and she smiled.

"I think I should be asking you that question. I'm used to it, you're the one who's been out of the pictures for two years. It's not gonna' be me that they're focusing on, Tris."

He sighed, nodding. "Yeah well, let's get this over with," he said and she nodded.

They walked out into the bright sunlight and Taylor let her sunglasses fall down over her eyes. Tristan kept his arm locked firmly around her shoulders and followed his baby sister to the car, ignoring the shouts for him to look up or to answer a question.

He slid into the car behind Taylor and closed the door, leaning back against the seat and she looked over to him. "You okay?"

Tristan nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

They rode most of the way home in silence. Tristan looked out the window at the many buildings of Hartford, remembering certain things about certain places. As they passed a few certain houses Tristan smiled.

Taylor watched him as they passed the Gilmore-Hayden estate. He smiled first and then his smile faded into the ghost of one.

"She's home too," Taylor said and Tristan nodded, not looking at her and not saying anything.

"Is Logan around?" he asked and Taylor nodded her head.

"He got in a few days ago and Rory got here yesterday," she said. "Her grandmother has been helping mom with the planning."

Tristan seemed to wince a little at the mention of Rory's name and then nodded his head again. "She'll be there you know," Taylor said as the car pulled up to the Dugrey mansion. "He wants to see her again, you know he always liked her."

Tristan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I suspected," he said. "I wouldn't have expected her not to come," he shrugged, "it's not my place to say anything anyway," he said. "It's his birthday party after all."

Taylor nodded, leading her brother into the house. They stepped into the foyer and Stephanie Dugrey came forward quickly, opening her arms to her son. Tristan stepped forward and hugged his mother.

"It's good to have you home, Tristan. We've missed you," she whispered and he pulled back smiling.

"I've missed you too, mom."

She smiled and then called for the maid to take Tristan's things to his bedroom. "Mr. Dugrey," she said, smiling at Tristan and he stepped towards her and pulled her into a hug.

"It's good to see you Carol," he said, smiling down at the short maid. She patted him on the shoulder.

"It's good to see you too, sir," she said and picked up his things, taking them upstairs as Tristan and Taylor followed their mother into the kitchen.

"So how's your life Tristan?" she asked as he and Taylor sat at the counter stools and his mother leaned up against it.

He shrugged. "It's going pretty well. I'm really getting into good business with the advertising thing."

Stephanie smiled and nodded her head. "Good for you, Tristan."

He shrugged again. "I'm sure, dad won't say the same."

His mother leaned over and patted his hand. "You're father is a stubborn man, Tristan. He'll accept it. I'm not saying that he'll like it or that he'll approve, but he will accept it," she said. "But, this is not about your father. You aren't here for him anyway," she smiled. "You're here for your grandfather and he was very happy to hear that you would be here."

Tristan smiled back at her. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Stephanie nodded. "Well I'm sure you're tired from the flight so I'll let you get some sleep, Taylor can give you a hand unpacking if you need her."

Tristan shrugged. "I think I'll be alright," he said and then felt the impact of Taylor's foot against his shin and reconsidered. "But, I guess I could use a hand," he said, glaring at his sister who merely smiled and jumped off her stool, pulling him along behind her.

"Jesus Tay, that hurt!" he whined, flopping back onto his bed while she lowered herself into a chair in the corner.

Taylor shrugged. "You were gonna' leave me down there with her, and you know that she was gonna' make me help plan some more."

Tristan laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "So when did you start wearing make-up?"

Taylor rolled her eyes. "About the same time I started having sex," she said, shrugging her shoulders.

"What!?" Tristan yelled, sitting up straight and staring at his baby sister.

Taylor shook her head, laughing. "Just kidding," she said.

Tristan sighed and leaned back into his bed. "God Taylor what're you trying to do, give me a heart attack?"

She smirked and Tristan realized just then how much she looked like himself. "Just felt like a laugh," she said and he rolled his eyes.

"Don't joke about that," he said. "Some innocent kid might've gotten his ass kicked for that."

She shook her head again. "You don't even know who my boyfriend _is_ Tristan."

He raised his eyebrows at her and sat up again, slower this time. "I didn't even know you had a boyfriend," he said. "But I think I need to know who it is."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't worry about it, Tris."

"I'm serious Taylor, who're you dating?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Andrew Blake."

Tristan raised his eyebrow again. "Yeah?"

Taylor nodded.

He shrugged. "He always seemed like a nice kid. Maybe I won't have to kick his ass after all."

Taylor shook her head in exasperation and stood up. "Well I'll leave you to your thoughts, Tris. Do you want me to call you for dinner?"

He nodded, placing his hands behind his head.

"Okay," she said, closing the door behind her as she left.

Tristan looked around his bedroom. It was just the way he left it. He sat up on the bed and decided that now was a good a time as any for unpacking. He unzipped his back and took out the clothing to put into his drawers.

He opened the top drawer and put in boxers and socks. T-shirts in the second drawer, accompanying some that he'd left here.

When he shut the last drawer he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and set it on top of the dresser, realizing for the first time which picture sat in the frame there.

He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair and looked at the faces in the frame. Her face smiled out at him from the photograph as he pressed a kiss into her temple. He shook his head, placing the frame face down on the dresser.

He rubbed his hands over his face and sighed, lying back down on his bed, giving in to the sleep that had been threatening to take him.

---

Rory sat on her bed flipping through the pages of _Pride and Prejudice_ for about the millionth time. She closed the book, leaning back against the head board and closed her eyes.

A knock came to the door softly and she groaned. "Come in," she said.

The door opened and Lorelai walked in, seating herself on the edge of her daughter's bed. "Hey, sweetie," she said. "How's the article coming?"

Rory shook her head. "Nonexistent," she said, gesturing to the book beside her.

Lorelai laughed. "I should've guessed you'd be reading."

She nodded. "Logan called this morning," she said. "He said he's coming over later so we can have a movie night."

Lorelai smiled. "That sounds like fun, you and Logan haven't really had a chance to hang out lately."

Rory nodded again. "Yeah," she said. "It'll be good. I've missed hanging out with Logan," she shrugged. "Being back here, it feels like I'm seventeen all over again."

Lorelai laughed, nodding her head. "It is a little bit like back then. Logan coming over for a movie night."

Rory shrugged. "Yeah, that. But I guess I just meant, being back here for the reasons that I am."

Lorelai sighed. "You mean for Tristan's grandpa's birthday?"

She nodded. "It seems strange doesn't it?" she asked. "I mean, me coming back for this, for him."

"You've known Tristan and Logan for a long, long time Ror. You guys have been friends forever."

Rory bit her lip. "But after everything, after me and Tristan..." she trailed off as if saying his name hurt her.

"Honey, Tristan has been one of your best -"

"He left, mom."

Lorelai nodded. "I know, honey. I know."

Rory cleared her throat, forcing herself not to show tears. "I'm gonna' go shower before Logan gets here, okay?"

"Sure, okay."

She stood up and Lorelia smiled, closing the door behind her as she left.

Rory walked into the bathroom and started the shower. She climbed in, letting the warmth of the water calm her and wash away all of her thoughts. She ran her hands through her hair.

She stayed in the shower for what seemed like hours before exiting the bathroom and making her way back to her bedroom, wrapped tightly in her towel.

She opened her bedroom door and jumped. "Jesus Logan!" she yelled. "You scared the hell out of me," she said. Logan smiled, standing up from his place on her bed.

"What no hug?"

She laughed, throwing her arms around him and pulling him in tight. He let his arms wind around her and hugged her back.

"Oh God, I got you all wet," she said, pulling back.

He shook his head. "No worries," he said and she smiled.

"Okay, let me get dressed and then we can watch the movie."

He nodded. "No hurry," he said, sitting back on her bed and leaning against the pillows. She walked into her closet and changed quickly.

She came out in a few minutes, pulling her pajama t-shirt fully over her stomach. She turned and he looked over at her back. He thought he'd seen that shirt before, and reading the back he knew he'd seen it many a time.

He decided this was the opportunity to bring up the subject he contemplated avoiding all night. "So, Tristan got in today."

Rory paused in what she was doing and nodded. "I figured," she said. Logan nodded.

"Have you talked to him?"

She turned to face him, shaking her head. She set her hairbrush back on her dresser.

"You have to talk to him sometime, Ace," Logan said, meeting her eyes.

Rory shook her head. "No," she said. "I don't actually."

"Rory, come on. It's been two years since you've spoken to him. You have to talk to him sometime."

"Why?" she asked. "Why do I have to talk to him, Logan? Answer me that."

Logan sighed and stood up, walking over to her. "Because you want to," he said softly and Rory shook her head, fighting tears again. "Yes you do, Ace you know you do."

Rory shook her head. "No, Logan. I don't."

Logan sighed, looking down at the floor and then back up at Rory. "You still love him, Ror."

Rory let a few tears slip and roll down her face and shook her head.

"Rory, you still sleep in his t-shirts. You talk to his grandfather once a week and we all know that it's to make sure that he's doing okay," Logan shook his head back at her. "You miss him, and it's okay."

Rory broke down, letting Logan take her into his arms. "I can't do this again, Logan," she whispered. "I can't talk to him. I'll just fall harder, all over again."

Logan let his hand run over her hair and sighed. "I know," he whispered. "It's okay. It's all gonna' be okay."

He held for a while, letting her cry and stroking her hair until she gained control of herself.

"God, look at this. I told myself I wouldn't let him do this to me again, I told myself not to cry over him again."

Logan nodded. "Come on, Ace. Let's watch that movie."

Rory smiled, standing up and nodding.

---

"Rory, come along dear. You promised that you would help with this and there's not a chance your mother is talking your way out of it," Emily Gilmore said, dragging Rory along behind her into the Dugrey mansion to help Stephanie with the plans.

Emily rang the doorbell and Taylor opened it, smiling at Rory and ushering them inside. Once their coats were off and taken Taylor lunged herself at Rory and hugged her.

Rory laughed. "It's good to see you, Tay," she said and Taylor smiled wider.

"It's too see you too," she said.

"Come along, come along girls you can chat while you decorate," Emily said, ushering the two girls into the living room to meet Stephanie.

"Rory, darling how are you?" Stephanie asked, wrapping her in a hug.

She smiled. "I'm fine Stephanie how are you?"

"I'll be wonderful once all this planning is over with," she said smiling. "I'm sure your parents and grandparents are just happy as can be to have you home."

Emily nodded, smiling. "And I'm sure that having Tristan home is just wonderful for you."

Stephanie nodded. "Oh, you have no idea," she said. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere. He should be down before too long."

Rory tensed at the mention of Tristan being in the house and Taylor gave her a reassuring smile. "Rory and I are going to go start outside okay?"

Stephanie nodded, waving the girls off.

"Sorry," Taylor said as they stepped outside. "I tried telling my mom that you and Tristan in the same house might not be a good thing, but she didn't really pay me much attention. She thinks you guys are still on speaking terms."

Rory nodded, gathering that Tristan would have no idea that she was here. "Well I suppose we should get started."

Taylor sighed. "Yeah," she agreed, taking a seat at the small table and grabbing a pen. "Okay, so we're working on the seating arrangement for dinner."

Two hours later, and twenty four seats left to arrange the patio doors opened. The girls, now engulfed in the project, didn't hear it.

Tristan stepped outside, stopping himself as he caught sight of the back of her head. At least, he was almost positive it was her, how could it be anyone else.

He sighed and Taylor looked up, noticing him. She froze, her eyes locked on her brothers.

"Okay, so what about this?" Rory asked, waiting for a response. "Tay? Hello. Taylor..." she stopped, looking up and over to where the other girl was staring.

She met his eyes. They were the same as she'd remembered. That brilliant ice blue that always seemed to warm when he looked at her.

"Didn't mean to interrupt," he said finally and Taylor shrugged. Rory looked away. He stood there for a moment, wondering what he could say to her, and after a minute the words came out before he could stop them. "Can I talk to you?"

Rory looked up, meeting his eyes again. "What could you possibly have to say Tristan?"

He looked away for a minute before meeting her gaze again. "Please?" he tried and she sighed, standing.

She glanced at Taylor who nodded towards her brother and smiled reassuringly again.

Rory followed Tristan back into the house and up the stairs she knew so well, into his bedroom. He let her enter first, closing the door behind them. It was just the way she remembered. She looked to his dresser, noticing the picture and wondering if she should feel as hurt as she did by the fact that he had it upside down.

"How've you been?" he asked and she looked at him again.

"Fine," she shrugged.

He nodded, licking his lips and sighing. "I've read your articles in the Times, they're good."

She shook her head and sighed. "Is this what you want, Tristan? To just make small talk and act like everything is okay?"

He shook his head in confusion. "I don't know what I want Rory. I don't know what you want."

She looked up at him. "You used to," she whispered.

"Mary," he tried but she shook her head.

"Don't, Tristan. Don't do that."

He took a step towards her. "I didn't mean to hurt you," he said. "I would never, ever mean to hurt you Mar. You have to understand that."

She shook her head and this time she didn't fight the tears. "You left, Tristan!"

"I know."

She sighed. "You didn't even say goodbye, you just left!"

He shook his head. "You don't understand."

"Then please, explain it to me!" she yelled. "Tell me why, one minute you're telling me that you love me and that you'll be there and you'll be with me and you can't imagine your life without me and then the next thing I know you're gone!"

Tristan shook his head, fighting his own tears, watching her cry. "I didn't just choose to leave, Rory! I would never have chosen to leave you! I loved you, I still do!"

"Then why did you go, Tristan? From everyone that knows anything about it you just left, you made the choice and you took off. You left me behind and didn't even tell me goodbye."

"I can't," he shook his head in desperation.

"You can't tell me?" she asked. "You've never had to keep anything from me, Tristan! Why now?"

He shook his head. "You have to trust me, Rory. I never would've left if I had the choice. I spent the entire two years that I was away missing you, and wishing you were with me! You have to believe that."

She wiped her eyes. "Then tell me why you left."

He shook his head in desperation. "I can't. All it would do is hurt you. You just have to believe that I never wanted this."

She let out a sob. "I can't. I can't do this again, Tristan. I can't." she shook her head and turned on her heel to the door.

"Rory," she paused. "I love you."

She shook her head. "I love you too," she whispered. "But I can't let you hurt me again."

And with that she walked out, closing the door behind her and running down the stairs and out of the house. She had to get out of there, she had to find Logan. She would deal with her grandmother later.

Tristan collapsed onto his bed and wiped his eyes with his hands, groaning in frustration. Why didn't you just tell her, you idiot. It would've hurt her, he told himself. But she might've understood. If anyone understood, it would be her.


	2. Disarray

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Thank you to everyone who reviewed you guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls(obviously)

Chapter Two: Disarray

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Rory sat in her bedroom, facing Logan. They both sat on her bed and she told him what had happened, trying to remain calm and talk slowly.

When she was finally finished recounting what was said and done by each party she leaned back into the pillows on her bed and sighed deeply, running her hands over her face.

"What am I gonna' do Logan?"

He didn't respond right away, but let his features speak for him for the moment being. He frowned and opened his mouth, as if to start an explanation, but shut it again quickly. He sighed, trying to find the words to explain the little information that he had without really telling her he had any. And it was definitely as complicated as it sounds.

"When was the last time that you guys actually talked?" he asked, meeting Rory's eyes.

She raised an eyebrow at him, gathering from the tone of his voice that he probably knew more than he was letting on.

"Why?"

Logan shook his head, still looking at her expectantly.

Rory shrugged. "The night before he left, I guess," she said, remembering the night clearly in her mind.

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It was two days until fall break officially ended and they were both home until the following evening when they'd return to their respective colleges. Her to Yale, him to Princeton. He'd picked her up that morning and spent the entire day with only her. They were now lying in his large bed.

They chose his house to retire to late that afternoon because his parents and Taylor were off somewhere with his grandfather until the next morning, so they knew they wouldn't be disturbed.

Rory traced small, feather light patterns on Tristan's chest and placed a kiss in the place she'd been touching.

He watched her, relishing the feel of her in his arms for the little while they had until he had to get her back to her mother's house. He shifted slightly and she looked up at him, a little surprised.

She smiled. "Hey you," she said.

He smiled back. "Hey yourself," he said and she went back to tracing patterns again.

"I wasn't even sure you were awake."

He brushed some of her hair back away from her face. "Just watching you," he said.

She wrapped her arms tightly around him and he pulled her in closer. "I'm going to miss you, Tristan," she whispered.

He nodded against her hair. "Me too," he said. "I always do."

She nodded back to him. "Yeah," she mumbled.

He sighed, pressing his lips to the top of her head and she pressed another kiss against the soft skin of his chest.

"I love you," he said. "You know that don't you?"

She smiled, looking up at him and nodding. "I love you back," she said.

He kissed her lightly on the lips and she cuddled back into his embrace. He held her for a few more minutes before moving just enough to get her attention.

"Just a few more minutes?" she asked and he chuckled.

"Only if you want Lorelai to have my entrails cut out and burned for having you home late," he joked and she pulled him in closer.

"I'm good with that," she said.

Tristan laughed, picking her up and dragging her out of the bed. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck until he stopped, his arms against the wall, trapping her in between them as she clung to him.

"I can't imagine my life without you, Mary," he said and she smiled.

"I can," she shrugged when he raised an eyebrow. "It'd be boring."

He laughed and leaned into her, kissing her lips. She smiled into his kiss and let her fingers run up through his soft hair. "Okay," he said, pulling back. "We have to stop this or we'll never leave."

Rory nodded and pulled him down gently, kissing his forehead before stepping away to put on the clothing that had been shed much earlier in the afternoon.

He got a new t-shirt out of his dresser drawer and she watched him pull it over his head. He smirked, noticing her watching him and winked at her.

She laughed, picking up the t-shirt from the floor of his bedroom, 'Dugrey', written on the back in bold lettering.

"What're you doing with that?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

She smiled. "Stealing it," she said.

He smirked. "You have two of my t-shirts already," he pointed out and she shrugged.

"You haven't worn them in a long time. You just wore this one," she said. "It'll be like you're with me when I'm at school and sleeping alone."

He smiled, nodding and holding a hand out to her. She took it, lacing her fingers into his. "Let's get you home, Mary," he said.

Logan cleared his throat, bringing Rory back out of her trance and she shook her head. "Sorry," she said. "I was thinking."

He nodded, leaning back. "So how do you know he didn't just go back to Princeton?"

She sighed. "He was supposed to come over the next morning so that we could say goodbye," she said. "He never showed up. I got worried and called his cell but he had it turned off. I called his house and all they said was that he left early that morning before anyone had woken up."

Logan nodded. "And he never told you where he went?"

Rory shook her head, her eyes never leaving Logan's. "Do you know something that I don't?"

Logan sighed, trying again to formulate the words.

"Logan Charles Huntzburger," she warned and he nodded slowly.

"I don't really know anything," he said. "Only where he went."

Rory frowned.

"He called me the day I got back to school and told me that he had to be away for a while. He said he had some things to take care of and it wasn't good but he couldn't explain. He said he was in North Carolina for a while but I shouldn't say anything about it," he paused. "And he said to tell you that he loved you."

Rory looked up and met his eyes, frowning in confusion. He didn't say anything and after a moment she realized. "So, that night that you came over to my dorm..."

Logan nodded. "I told you that Tristan loved you. Remember?"

She nodded.

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There was a knock on the door and Rory stood, walking to it and pulling it open. "How're you doing?"

She shook her head. "He just left, Logan," she said softly. "He didn't even say goodbye. He just left, and he didn't even tell me why."

Logan walked inside and sat down on the couch, Rory followed, seating herself next to him and leaning against him. He wrapped an arm around her.

"I know this is hard, Ace. But you just have to believe that Tristan had to go. I'm sure that it wasn't by choice."

Rory shook her head. "How could you know that Logan?" she asked. "How could you possibly know that it wasn't his choice?"

Logan sighed. "Because he loves you, Rory," he said. "Tristan would never leave you for no reason and he'd never leave by choice."

She shook her head again. "How are you so sure?"

Logan didn't say anything. He just sat with her until she sat up straighter and looked at him.

"You've talked to him, haven't you?" she asked.

Logan sighed. "I don't know anything, Rory. Just know that he loves you, okay?"

She shook her head again. "Then why the hell can't he just pick up a god damned phone and tell me that for himself? Huh, Logan? Can you answer that for me? If he loves me so much why doesn't he just tell me what's going on? Why did he just take off without warning or goodbyes?"

Logan shook his head. "I really don't know," he said and she shook her head in exasperation.

"You'd talked to him that night?" she asked and he nodded.

"About an hour after I got back to school he called my cell."

Rory nodded. "I told him I couldn't do it again. I said I couldn't let him hurt me again."

Logan looked up, meeting her eyes. He sat in silence for a while, seemingly in thought. "Maybe he won't," he offered and she shook her head.

"I can't, Logan. I can't give him the chance."

He sighed. "You already are, Ace. You're letting him hurt you now. By not being with him when you want to so badly," he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe you should let him explain."

Rory bit her bottom lip. "I already did that."

Logan looked confused.

"He told me that he couldn't tell me. He said that all the truth would do was hurt me," she shook her head. "What could hurt me more than anything he's done already?"

Logan shrugged again. "Maybe you should tell him that, Ace."

"I don't know, Huntz."

He nodded. "Think about it okay?" he asked, standing up from his position on her bed. "I have to go," he said. "Dinner with the family."

"Okay," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

He nodded. "Count on it."

"Hey Logan?"

He turned. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

He smiled. "Anytime babe," he said, winking lightly and making her laugh softly before he closed the door to her bedroom and headed down the stairs.

"How's she doing?" Lorelai asked as he reached the bottom of the steps.

He shrugged. "A little better, I think. I'm not really sure."

Lorelia nodded. "Maybe I'll go talk to her for a while."

Logan nodded his agreement. "Yeah, okay. I have to get home, though. Family dinner and I promised I wouldn't be late this time," he said, a smirk covering his face.

Lorelai laughed and waved him off with her hand. "Good luck," she called after him and he laughed.

"I'll need it," he said, walking out and shutting the large wooden door behind him.

Lorelia took the stairs two at a time and knocked on her daughter's door.

Rory laughed and opened the door. "Only you would knock on a door with the beat to a Van Halen song."

Her mother shrugged, stepping inside. "So, daughter of mine, how's the boy?"

Rory smiled softly, knowing that she meant Tristan. "Confusing, and frustrating, and stubborn, and as perfect as always."

Lorelai returned her daughter's sad smile. "How's the heart?" she asked and Rory shrugged.

"It's a little bit broken," she said. And Lorelai nodded.

"Okay," she said. "Let's fix it."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "You want to go back in time and make Tristan not leave?" she tried but her mother shook her head.

"No," she said. "I want to go to Stars Hollow for coffee."

Rory laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah, okay."

Lorelia smiled and pulled her hand. "Good, I'll tell your dad we're leaving."

The two girls walked into the kitchen to find Christopher opening the fridge and pulling out the milk. "What are you two up to?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Lorelai smiled sweetly. "We are off to Stars Hollow for a coffee date."

Chris nodded. "Okay," he said. "Tell Luke that I said, hey."

Lorelai nodded. "Will do. Ready babe?"

Rory nodded, leaning up to kiss Christopher's cheek in a goodbye. "How're you doing, honey?"

Rory shrugged. "Still standing," she said and he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"That's my girl," Chris said, winking at her.

Both girls jumped into the jeep that Lorelai insisted that they keep when they'd moved back to Hartford from Stars Hollow Rory's freshman year, when Lorelai and Christopher got married.

Lorelai pulled the jeep up to Luke's about thirty minutes later and they walked inside.

"Luke!" she hollered, as she opened the door and he came out of the back, setting a few plates on the top of the stack he had going.

Both girls walked up to the counter and Luke smiled. "What brings the two of you this way?" he asked, setting two cups on the counter and pouring coffee into each of them.

"The most amazing coffee in the world!" Lorelai exclaimed, inhaling hers.

"And you, of course," Rory added and Luke rolled his eyes.

"Glad to be of service," he said and Rory smiled.

She put the cup up to her lips as the bell for the door dinged behind her. She turned slightly to see who it was.

Blue met blue as Tristan stopped and realized that coming here probably was the mistake he thought it would be.

All he'd wanted was to walk around the town for a while. Go down by the bridge, up to the old inn and see the places that she'd shown him, remember all the times he'd been with her here, and just his luck, he had to run into her three minutes after he arrived.

Rory almost dropped her coffee cup at the sight of him. She almost laughed at the irony of it all, seeing him of all people, here of all places. She shook her head.

Why did it always have to be a god damned surprise. Just one time, she'd like to actually be prepared to see him, to know that he was the one coming through that door. But did that ever happen? Of course not.


	3. Of Want And Misery

_Sorry for such a long time between updates! Keep reviewing!!_

_Chapter Three: Of Want And Misery_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. (obviously)_

Rory shook her head in disbelief, breaking eye contact with him and grabbing her jacket. She muttered something to Lorelei about having to take a walk and as quickly as he had entered through that door, she was out of it and onto the street. Tristan made eye contact with her mother and sighed at her sympathetic look as he turned to follow Rory out into the street.

She was walking in the opposite direction faster that he'd ever seen her walk. "Rory!" He jogged after her, catching her by the arm and stopping her. "Would you just wait a second?"

She spun around and looked him straight in the eye. "What are you doing here, Tristan!" She demanded. He let out a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair, looking at her as if it pained him to be so close to her. She let her eyes squeeze shut for a second before opening them again and looking up at him, awaiting her answer.

"I didn't think that you'd be here, Rory. I swear. I came to just take a walk." He kept his eyes locked on hers, almost challenging her to run away. She didn't, she never did with him.

"I don't know what to do here, Tristan! I don't know how to be around you! I hate this, I hate all of this. I wish I never came back for this stupid party. I was doing fine until I had to see you again!" She shook her head slowly. "I don't want to love you anymore," she whispered. Tristan's head shot up quickly and he looked intently at her until she looked up at him.

"But you do," he stated. "You do love me."

Rory's eyes brimmed with unshed tears and she nodded slowly, letting a few drops fall down her cheeks. "You know that I do," she whispered. "But I can't be with you, Tristan. I can't trust you anymore."

Tristan hit the brick building beside him so hard that his hand ached. "Dammit, Rory. I'm trying to protect you! Don't you get that? I don't want you to know about this because you shouldn't ever have to. You shouldn't ever have to deal with the shit that I dealt with when I left two years ago."

Rory shook her head. "Don't you use that with me. Don't you do that! If you can't bring yourself to tell me what happened two years ago, why you left me without a goodbye, then you do not deserve this conversation. I'm finished; with you, with us, with everything."

Tristan took a step quickly towards her, as if to keep her next to him as long as possible. "I couldn't say goodbye, Rory. It would've been too hard. I couldn't face you and look you in the eyes and tell you goodbye knowing that it might really be goodbye. I couldn't do that, Rory. And I couldn't explain because you would've worried yourself sick and it would've been all my fault. I loved you too much to lose you, so I couldn't say goodbye."

Rory let her tears fall then and shook her head in confusion. "Tristan," she looked up at him and he sighed again. "Tell me. Please. I think I deserve to know, don't you?"

He nodded slowly. "Come with me," he whispered, taking her by the hand. She let him take her hand and interlace their fingers, realizing then just how much she missed his touch. He led her to the bridge over the pond. The place they'd had their first kiss.

He sighed, taking a seat and letting his legs dangle over the edge, taking out a cigarette and lighting it up.

"I thought you knocked your nicotine addiction," she muttered.

Tristan chuckled slightly. "I picked it back up," he said, clearing his throat and letting out a breath of smoke. "Do you remember Finn?"

Rory nodded her head slowly. "The one that you got into all that gang trouble with?"

Tristan nodded his head, taking another drag from his cigarette. "Finn's a good guy," he clarified. "He's just tough. He's had to be, you know. But anyway, he's a gang leader up in Boston now, or he was two years ago. He got into some serious trouble with a rival gang.

"When I was part of Finn's gang back in Hartford, back in the days when I hated my parents so much I would've done anything to get out, we were friends, close friends actually, which isn't all that common among his type. But two years ago, he called in a favor."

Rory looked up at him with a frown, not speaking, watching him take another drag and toss that cigarette into the pond.

He glanced over at her and sighed before continuing. "Back when Finn and I were close, we got into this huge gang fight. A bunch of guys got killed. I was almost one of those guys." He cleared his throat. "Do you remember those two or three weeks I spent in the hospital in high school?" Rory nodded silently. "And everyone said I'd been in a car crash?" She nodded again. "It was far from a car crash. I went into that fight with Finn and his boys, and I got in the middle of it all somehow. I was trying to get to Finn and they were holding me back. I thought they were going to kill us both. But then a couple of guys got to Finn and took the guys that were holding him. They wanted to just leave me for dead, and trust me I was close to there, but Finn came back for me. He saved my life, and I owed him a favor. He never would've called unless it was important, unless he couldn't do it without me. And he couldn't. When he called, I knew that whatever he needed, I would go. He saved my life, Rory. I couldn't just not answer his phone calls and let him die."

He let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. Rory sighed and placed a hand over his, a silent message that he should continue. "He never would've called me if it wasn't life and death, Finn knew that I was done with that life, I was out and I never, ever wanted back in. But he needed me. I was the only person who could help. They got in another big gang fight in Boston, but in Boston they don't do the chains and busted bottle thing anymore. They do bike races. I've always been the best on a bike. If Finn's boys didn't win, they died. That's the way they do it. You win or you die. So Finn called, and I went. I raced. I won." He sighed. "So there, you know my story."

Rory took a shaky breath. "What if you would've lost?" she whispered.

Tristan looked down at her and smiled lightly. "Let's not talk about that, okay?"

Rory nodded slowly. "Is that why you didn't say goodbye? Because you thought that it might be a goodbye forever?"

Tristan nodded back to her. "I couldn't do that. I needed a good memory of you to be my last one, not a goodbye memory."

She took a deep breath. "I can't even believe this. It's all so surreal, Tristan."

He nodded. "It is," he confirmed, glancing over to her, his eyes laced in sorrow.

"Why didn't you come back?" She asked quietly. He looked over at her. "That race didn't take you two years, Tristan. Why didn't you come back?"

He sighed again. "The preparation for the race took six months. I was with Finn for six months before the race. Fixing the bike, riding. I became one of them again. I told myself that I would never, ever let that happen, but I did. I lost myself in the sea of gangs and hatred. Hatred is a way of life there, Mary. They hate, everything, all the time." He shook his head in regret. "The only thing that let me hang out to a shred of normality in that six months before the race, was you. I thought about you every single day. It was my way to stay sane, to not lose myself into the violence that's Finn's world. After the race, I took off. I left Finn and the gang and Boston and everything. I thought so many times about coming home, about coming back to you. But I had been gone almost a year before I'd picked myself back up again. I couldn't do that to you. I figured in a years time you would've moved on, found someone else. I couldn't come back. I couldn't do that to you."

Rory shook her head, tears spilling over. "Tristan, I've been waiting for you all this time. I've been here alone and missing you for two years!"

"I didn't know, Rory. If I had known that I would've been back here a year ago. But I didn't. I was sure you were with someone else. Every time I talked to Taylor or my mom, they said that you were seeing someone, you were dating, you had a good life. I didn't want to ruin that for you by showing up again."

Rory shook her head harder. "I'm not happy without you, Tristan. I can't be. I tried to move on and to date other people and to forget about you, but every guy I dated I compared to you. His kisses weren't as amazing as yours, his hair didn't fall across his eyes like yours does, his eyes don't warm when he looks at me that way yours do. Everyone I dated didn't compare. I couldn't move on because none of them was you."

Tristan nodded, pulling her in as close as he could and wrapping his arms tightly around her. "God, I missed you, Mary." He held her against him in silence.

After a few minutes of not speaking she looked up at him. "Tristan?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't ever leave me again," she whispered.

He let out a deep, laughing, almost relieved sigh. "Never," he mumbled. "I love you, Rory."

"I love you too. I always have."

Tristan pressed a firm kiss to the top of her head. "Will you come back to Hartford with me? I want to show you something."

Rory nodded. "Just let me call my mom and tell her. I'm sure she's worried about me." Tristan nodded his agreement and she pulled out her cell phone. "Hey, mom. Tristan wants to take me back to Hartford. He said has something to show me." She listened for a moment before involuntarily nodding. "Yeah. I'll explain later okay? I love you." She laughed. "I'll make sure he knows. Bye."

Tristan raised an eyebrow and she chuckled. "My mother says to tell you, 'Welcome back'." He smiled widely. "She missed you too."

He grinned again and pulled her close as they walked to his car. She sunk into the plush seats of his car like so many times before. It still felt the same to sit beside him in the car. He still gave her butterflies in her stomach. He still kept her guessing, made her want him so bad she could barely stand it. And even after all the pain he'd caused her, she still loved him, she still trusted him, and right now in this moment, she wanted nothing more than to be next to him.

When they arrived in Hartford he took her to his house, pulling into the garage and entering through the back doors. He led her up the stairs and into his bedroom, closing the door behind them.

"Do you remember when you told me that you'd never seen anyone better with a pencil and a sketchpad than me?" he asked and she frowned her confusion but nodded, smiling. He was the best sketch artist you could ever imagine to meet. Quite the surprise.

Tristan dug through his bag and pulled out a large white envelope. He pulled a pencil drawing out and set it down on his desk, pulling her over to stand next to him.

Rory let out a gasp. "It's the house!" she exclaimed, looking up at him in disbelief. "It looks exactly the way I pictured it, down to the shape of the windows. You drew this?"

Tristan nodded. "I work for an advertising agency. I'm high up on the chain of command so when I don't have a busy day, I work on this. It's been a piece by piece project. But I think I have it the way we talked about."

Rory smiled up at him. "I don't hear from you for two years and now in twenty four hours you have my heart back in your hands," she muttered. "Unbelievable."

Tristan lifted her chin from the drawing back to his face. "I won't break it this time. I swear." She nodded slowly, keeping her eyes locked on his. Then gently, slowly, allowing her the time to stop him, he leaded towards her and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her gently at first, and then quick and wanting. He kissed her the way he'd been yearning of kissing her for two long years.


End file.
